Quick Note: As you may know, my latest film, “The Atomic Bowl:Football at Ground Zero—and Nuclear Peril Today” has been airing over PBS stations this past month and streaming via PBS (key links and more here). A companion e-book has been available but today it is also published as a paperback, and you can read more or order here. Thank you. And subscribing to this newsletter still somehow FREE.
The Trumperor hath no clothes….no problem…
Sen. Jon Ossoff on last night’s firing of the C.D.C. director and resignations at top largely due to RFK Jr’s nutty and dangerous vaccination stance. How can you duck a quack?
Tonight’s events are yet more evidence that putting a quack like Bobby Kennedy in charge of public health was a grave error. The Trump Administration has been engaged for months in a campaign to destroy the CDC, America’s preeminent disease-fighting agency. The Administration’s extremism and incompetence are putting lives at risk.
Earlier in the day we learned there would be no charges in that infamous sandwich throwing case in D.C.—for assault with a deli weapon. What happened to that great cliche that “any good prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a sandwich”?
Prosecutors Fail to Secure Indictment Against Man Who Threw Sandwich at Federal Agent
But at least there’s this: New national poll by Quinnipiac found President Trump approval down to 37% with disapprove at 55%. In same poll, 50% of voters say Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Includes 77% of Democrats, 51% of independents, and 20% of Republicans. Yet Dem leaders continue to believe that criticizing Israel is the third rail of American politics.
A new film about the final cry for help by Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, in Gaza II after her entire family wiped out in car by IDF will debut at the Venice Film Festival, now backed by Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara and Oscar-winning directors Jonathan Glazer and Alfonso Cuaron. No trailer yet. Director did the recent fine film “Four Daughters.”
Major preview of that upcoming Springsteen bio-pic at The New York Times this morning, with interviews.
I posted a cut yesterday from upcoming Mavis Staples album and did not realize she had released another one a few weeks ago here it is (she also does Tom Waits’ “Chciago” and Leonard Cohen’s classic “Anthem”):
This album is not produced by Ry Cooder, who did wonders with her comeback album about 20 years ago. However, I have come upon a great version of a song she did on that from another album, also produced by Ry and with him on guitar, featuring his longtime backup singer Terry Evans, for “Down in Mississippi.” If you think Terry is feeling it—well, he did grow up in Vicksburg. Tremendous vocal and Ry’s guitar.
From Tunes to Toons for Thursday
Enjoyed Mavis Staples, and really liked the Terry Evans/Ry Cooder track.
Good selection of cartoons.
I missed some good music while on vacation! And another gross naked rump.